By this point, it's become clear that remote work isn't a passing trend, but a permanent shift in the way we work. It’s not only changed where we work, but also how we approach teamwork, productivity, and even company culture. If you’re thinking about shifting to a remote or hybrid work model, it’s important to have a proper remote management tool in place.
A common theme among successful remote companies is that they integrate a robust set of remote management tools that support remote team communication, collaboration, and productivity. With the right Remote team management tools, you can bridge the gap between physical and virtual workspaces, creating a sense of connection and collaboration among team members.
However, with the rise of remote working, we are spoiled with choice when it comes to remote employee management tools. To help you navigate through this, we've narrowed them down to eight categories of must-have remote management tools.
The Rise of Remote Work
While many associate the rise of remote work with the COVID-19 pandemic, this trend has actually been steadily growing prior to the pandemic and over the last decade.
Taking Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Australia as an example, 5.2% of employed individuals worked remotely before the pandemic, which was the highest percentage across the 4 surveyed regions (North America, Europe, and Latin America).
COVID-19 simply accelerated the shift to remote work, leading at least 36% of the APAC workforce to work remotely by November 2020. APAC also saw the largest increase in remote work, with 40% of employees either working remotely or preferring to do so post-pandemic.
Combined, these statistics indicate a major shift towards remote work, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Key Drivers for Remote Work Shift
The shift to remote work didn't happen overnight and is the result of several key drivers that, together, have enabled this trend to take hold. These include:
Technological advancement
From high-speed internet connection to cloud-based software and communication tools, advancements in technology have greatly facilitated remote work. Additionally, advancements in cybersecurity have made it safer for companies to allow employees to access sensitive information from remote locations.
Considering that the APAC has been a front-runner in terms of internet users and technology adoption at large, it explains why the region has seen a significant surge in remote work.
Read next: Harnessing Automation: AI Tools for HR in 2024
Economic factors
The high cost of living in major cities and the need for companies to cut down on overhead expenses have also led to greater adoption of remote work. With remote workers not requiring physical office spaces, this translates into substantial cost savings for businesses from office spaces and associated overhead expenses.
Similarly, for employees, remote work reduces the cost of commuting, work attire, and other expenses associated with traditional office jobs. This makes it a double win for both employers and employees, leading to a greater shift towards remote work.
Employee preferences
Nowadays, to retain and attract top talent, companies need to offer flexible work options. With the younger workforce (Millenials and Gen Z) placing a higher value on employee wellbeing and work-life balance, remote work has become a key factor in employee satisfaction.
This has led to companies adapting to this new trend to stay competitive. Otherwise, they risk losing their best employees to companies that offer remote work options. This is evident with statistics such as that one in two workers in Singapore say that they would leave their current job if they were forced to go to the office more often.
Learn more: The 4 Skills People Leaders Need For the Future of HR and the Gen Z Shift
Global talent pool
Businesses that offer remote work opportunities can tap into a global talent pool, giving them access to a diverse range of skills and expertise. This shatters geographical boundaries and allows companies to hire the best talent regardless of their location.
On top of that, it also allows businesses to have a constant work cycle if needed, increasing efficiency and overall productivity.
Additional reading: 10 DEI Policies Your Organization Needs and How to Implement Them
Top 8 Remote Management Tools
Remote management tools make remote work a viable and effective option, but only when the right ones are used. The key lies not just in selecting any tools, but in curating a toolkit that aligns with your team’s specific needs and workflows.
These eight categories, each serving a specific purpose, make up the backbone of remote work management.
1. Communication and collaboration tools
A productive team is one that communicates clearly and effectively. This is precisely the purpose of remote management tools for communication and collaboration. They facilitate real-time communication via messaging (text and audio), video conferencing, and screen sharing to keep team members connected, no matter where they are.
Most of them also offer additional features, such as whiteboards, file sharing, and shared calendars to enhance collaboration. Some popular and user-friendly remote management tool options in this category include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Zoom.
Read next: Slack Tips and Tricks for More Productive HR Teams
2. Project management and task-tracking tools
Project management and task-tracking remote management tools are those that help teams organize workloads, assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress. These are essential for empowering your team to stay on top of their work and stay accountable.
With features like to-do lists, dashboards, charts, project views, automation, and integrations with other tools, they make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Some of the well-known remote management tool options for project management are Asana, Trello, ClickUp, and Monday.
3. Time tracking and productivity tools
Time tracking remote employee management tools don't necessarily mean micromanaging your team every minute, but rather helping them stay focused and productive throughout their workday. They also help with tracking billable hours for freelancers and contractors, and managing team schedules.
These remote management tools are famous for features like time tracking for tasks and projects, time summaries, productivity reports, and invoice generation based on hours worked. Some popular options in this category are Toggl, Harvest, Clockify, and RescueTime.
4. File sharing and cloud storage tools
To avoid the classic email attachment frenzy, teams need a centralized location and organized way to store and share documents and files with one another. File sharing and cloud storage tools not only provide a secure way to store files but also enable easy collaboration on shared documents.
Such remote management tools provide features like file versioning, access control, password protection, and automatic backups–to name a few. Trusted options in this category include Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and Box.
5. Remote desktop and access tools
Certain roles often require remote desktop access to work on tasks or access files from a different location. Remote desktop and access tools allow for secure and efficient control of a remote computer, making it easier to troubleshoot technical issues and complete tasks from anywhere.
These remote team management tools are known for their ability to share screens, transfer files between computers, and grant temporary access to remote devices. Some options for this purpose are TeamViewer, AnyDesk, Chrome Remote Desktop, and Splashtop.
6. Employee engagement and productivity tools
One of the biggest challenges of remote work is maintaining a sense of connection and engagement among team members. Employee engagement and productivity tools can help bridge this gap by providing platforms for virtual team building and communication.
Some features you'll likely find in these remote employee management tools are reward and recognition systems, mockups of social media feeds, employee survey creation and analysis, and engagement insights. Examples of such tools include Culture Amp, Motivosity, Bonusly, and WorkTango.
7. Security and data protection tools
From online security threats to data breaches, remote work can pose significant risks to sensitive information and company data. Therefore, proper security and data protection tools aren't an option, but a necessity for remote teams.
These remote management tools can include password managers like LastPass, firewalls like Norton, virtual private networks (VPNs) like Express VPN, and data backup and recovery services like Acronis. The more sensitive your work is, the more advanced and robust security measures you'll need to put in place.
8. All-in-one HRIS
It's not always convenient to have a separate tool for every purpose, and orienting employees on multiple platforms can be time-consuming and confusing. On top of that, it can be challenging to keep track of employee data scattered across different remote employee management tools.
That's why many businesses seek an all-in-one Human Resource Information System (HRIS) that integrates several functions, from task and workflow management and time tracking to performance management and payroll.
Having an HRIS not only streamlines processes but also provides a centralized database that is easily accessible, reducing redundancy and the likelihood of errors. Top HRIS options include Omni, BambooHR, Gusto, and Rippling.
Learn more: 5 Reasons to Switch to an All-In-One HR Software
Empower Your Remote Workforce with Omni
Embracing HRIS as a remote management tool is a powerful strategy to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and employee experience within remote organizations. By integrating AI into remote HR practices, organizations can optimize talent acquisition, streamline performance management and promote employee engagement.
Omni is an all-in-one HR software designed for growing businesses to reach their full potential. Our user-friendly platform helps you improve employee engagement and efficiency, streamline processes, increase productivity, and save time on administrative tasks for more strategic efforts that drive business results.
Our employee self-service portal empowers remote employees to submit their time off requests, which automatically routes to the appropriate manager thanks to customizable approval workflows. To make things easier, Omni seamlessly integrates with your team’s favorite remote management tools such as Slack, enabling managers to receive and manage time off approvals directly within the messaging platform, removing time-consuming steps from leave management with a quick push of a button.
To learn more about how Omni can help improve your remote business functions and liberate your HR team, book your demo with our team.
